Managing the Corporate Brand

Senior management’s expectations for payoffs from corporate branding are rising, according to participants in this survey of 106 U.S. and European firms and interviews with 28 executives. Firms with successful strategies make effective use of identity, imagery and brand slogans. In these companies, branding has CEO leadership and support, is aligned across functions, leveraged off the corporate culture, and supported by employees. Brand managers use a portfolio of measures to gauge results, and are taking on expanded roles. They function as strategists, facilitators, consultants and brokers. In today’s global business environment, coordination takes place through matrix relationships and high-level corporate brand councils. (32 pages)